The Esports Advocate
Esports business news: deals, legal, and governance.
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Pandora Partners With Honor of Kings
Danish jewelry brand Pandora has entered into a strategic partnership with Tencent’s mobile game Honor of Kings, marking the brand’s first collaboration with a major gaming intellectual property within the Chinese esports market.
- Danish jewelry brand Pandora has entered its first partnership with a major gaming intellectual property in the Chinese esports industry by collaborating with Tencent’s Honor of Kings.
- The partnership includes the release of Honor of Kings-inspired jewelry, such as pendants and bracelets, which are currently available for purchase on Pandora’s Chinese Taobao store.
- Pandora has signed King Pro League (KPL) player Yang “Wuwei” Tao of Nanjing Hero as a “friend of the brand” to feature in official commercials and promotional materials.
ESL FACEIT Group Signs Five-Year Partnership With Qiddiya City
The ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) has entered into a five-year strategic partnership with Qiddiya City, a major entertainment and tourism development project in Saudi Arabia.
- ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and Qiddiya City have entered into a five-year strategic partnership to support the development of a 500,000-square-meter entertainment and esports hub in Saudi Arabia.
- Both EFG and the Qiddiya City project are backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), though the specific financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
- The partnership will officially launch during the Counter-Strike 2 tournament, IEM Chengdu, taking place from April 12–14, 2024.
Fnatic Promotes Nyan Heroes
The UK-based esports organization Fnatic has entered into a partnership to promote Nyan Heroes, a free-to-play, team-based hero shooter currently in its early-alpha development phase.
- Esports organization Fnatic has entered into a partnership to promote Nyan Heroes, a free-to-play, blockchain-based hero shooter currently in early-alpha development on the Solana network.
- The financial terms of the partnership between Fnatic and the developers of Nyan Heroes were not disclosed.
- Nyan Heroes is available on the Epic Games Store and features optional NFT components, though developers state the game does not require an external wallet to play.
G2 Esports Appoints Henning Christiansson as Commercial Director
G2 Esports has appointed Henning Christiansson as its new commercial director, marking a strategic move to bolster the organization’s leadership team.
- G2 Esports has appointed Henning Christiansson as its new commercial director to lead efforts in diversifying revenue and driving commercial growth.
- Christiansson brings extensive industry experience, having previously served as a marketing manager at Logitech G for nearly six years and as a global project manager at DreamHack for two-and-a-half years.
- The company has promoted Julius Ylänne to the role of director of esports as part of a broader initiative to expand its leadership team.
Snapdragon Pro Series Year 3 Roadmap
The ESL FACEIT Group, in partnership with Qualcomm Technologies, has unveiled the roadmap for Year 3 of the Snapdragon Pro Series, an international mobile esports circuit.
- ESL FACEIT Group and Qualcomm have announced a $4.4 million prize pool for Seasons 5 and 6 of the Snapdragon Pro Series, the largest in the circuit's history.
- The Year 3 circuit features seven mobile titles: Brawl Stars, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), Free Fire, Clash of Clans, Call of Duty Mobile, Battlegrounds Mobile India, and Asphalt 9 Legends.
- The Snapdragon Mobile Masters 2024 event is scheduled for April 12–14 in São Paulo, Brazil, featuring $200,000 prize pools for both Call of Duty Mobile and Free Fire.
PGL Details Counter-Strike 2 Tournament Schedule for 2025 & 2026
PGL has announced a comprehensive schedule for 11 Counter-Strike 2 tournaments spanning 2025 and 2026.
- PGL will host 11 Counter-Strike 2 tournaments across 2025 and 2026, marking its expansion as an independent tournament organizer.
- New Valve licensing rules effective January 1, 2025, prohibit tournament organizers from partnering with teams, effectively ending the previous monopoly in the competitive ecosystem.
- The 2025 schedule includes five events: Feb. 10-24, March 31–April 14, May 3-19, Sept. 29–Oct. 13, and Oct. 18–Nov. 3.
Honor of Kings India Planned
Tencent’s mobile MOBA title, Honor of Kings, is slated for a localized release in India, as indicated by an official announcement from the Clash of Titans social media account.
- Tencent plans to launch a localized version of its MOBA title, Honor of Kings, in India under the name 'Honor of Kings India'.
- The release is part of a broader 2024 global expansion strategy led by Tencent’s gaming brand, Level Infinite.
- Honor of Kings is a major mobile franchise with 100 million daily active players and generated an estimated $248 million in global revenue across Apple and Google app stores in February 2024.
Guild Esports Takes Loan From UAE-Based Compassare Holdings
London-based, publicly traded esports organization Guild Esports has secured a £250,000 (approximately $314,000 USD) convertible loan note from Compassare Holdings, a UAE-based investment firm with a diversified portfolio spanning sectors such as technology, energy, and sustainable solutions.
- London-based Guild Esports has secured a £250,000 (approximately $314,000 USD) convertible loan from the UAE-based investment firm Compassare Holdings.
- The loan carries an 8% interest rate and is scheduled for repayment by March 25, 2025.
- Guild Esports intends to utilize the loan proceeds to cover its ongoing working capital requirements.
ONWEAR Brings FURIA to China
The Brazilian esports organization FURIA has entered the Chinese market through a strategic partnership with the local e-commerce platform ONWEAR.
- Brazilian esports organization FURIA has entered the Chinese market through a strategic partnership with the e-commerce platform ONWEAR.
- The deal establishes a licensing arrangement where ONWEAR will manufacture and sell official FURIA merchandise specifically for the Chinese market.
- The initial product offering is limited to the "Future is Black" game jerseys, excluding other existing merchandise lines such as the "Magic Panthera" collection.
Fortnite and Rocket League Championship Events Coming to Fort Worth
The international tournament organizer BLAST has announced that two major esports championship events will be hosted at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, in September 2024.
- The Fortnite Battle Royale Global Championship and the Rocket League World Championship will both be hosted at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, in September 2024.
- The FNCS Global Championship is scheduled for September 7–8, featuring 50 of the world's top duos competing for a $2 million total prize pool.
- The RLCS World Championship 2024 will take place from September 10–15, with the final rounds occurring September 13–15 and a total prize pool of $1.165 million.
League of Legends, Teamfight Tactics Join the Esports World Cup
Riot Games has officially confirmed that its titles, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, will participate in the Esports World Cup held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
- Riot Games has authorized the inclusion of League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics in the Saudi Arabian government-backed Esports World Cup held in Riyadh this summer.
- Riot Games will not produce these events, leaving the format, team selection, and prize pool structure to the Esports World Cup Foundation and the ESL FACEIT Group.
- The decision aims to support the MENA region's esports growth and provide financial stability to professional teams and players facing current economic challenges.
Enthusiast Gaming Partners With Playwire
Enthusiast Gaming, a North American publicly traded esports and gaming company, has entered into a multi-year partnership with advertising technology provider Playwire.
- Enthusiast Gaming has entered into a multi-year partnership with advertising technology provider Playwire to manage ad monetization across its digital network.
- Enthusiast Gaming will utilize Playwire’s RAMP (Revenue Amplification Management Platform) to streamline ad operations for its portfolio of over 50 websites, 700 YouTube channels, and 11 TikTok channels.
- The partnership includes key Enthusiast Gaming properties such as NFL Tuesday Night Gaming, Luminosity Gaming’s events, and various gaming sites like Icy Veins and Addicting Games.